“Please submit your CV and Cover Letter.”
You already have a glowing CV; perhaps you even followed our top tips (you can find the blog here if you haven’t already). But now you have to write a cover letter?! Applications can be a lengthy process; trust us, we know! The good news is you are nearly there. The CV was the hard part. Think of the cover letter as a brief introduction of yourself, a teaser before your recruiter starts delving into your complete work history.
In this month’s blog, inspired by Apprenticeship Week and the joys of applications, we have compiled some tips to get you started!
Read the Job Description Carefully:
The cover letter is a brief statement as to why they should consider YOU for the role. This means it should be much more personalised compared to your CV.
Some companies will specify a question that they want you to answer in your cover letter. Look carefully at the job description and website so you can note any specific skills, experience, or qualities that you could highlight from your CV in your cover letter.
Do Your Research:
Consider the company’s tone of voice. Are they more formal or casual? This will dictate the sort of language you should use. If you can, try to find the name of the hiring manager. You can normally find this with a bit of digging on the company website or even on the job description. If you are really keen, you could phone up and ask.
Be Specific:
Be sure to name-drop the company and the role you are applying for. Go into detail about a specific experience or skill that will make you stand out from other applicants.
Quality over Quantity:
Keep to what is relevant to the role. Remember, the recruiter will be able to see all your other experiences already on your CV. Treat the cover letter as an introduction to you, explaining why they should consider your application. What makes you the perfect candidate for the role? Remember that they are likely going through dozens of applications, so they will not have time to read through pages of cover letters.
Don’t Forget to Proofread:
This is the only impression they have of you before they potentially meet you for an interview. You have already worked hard on your application; don’t let a simple typo or grammatical error let you down.
Good luck! Once you land that interview, don’t forget to check out our interview tips blog here.
Do you have more to say? Did you find this helpful? Let us know!
